Family Literacy Day….what does that mean to you?

If you do a quick google search, you will find a lot of special days on the calendar to celebrate this or that….and quite a few special days to emphasize literacy too. I like the opportunity to take a day to remember the importance of something….with the idea that it is the beginning of starting a habit of remembering the importance of that something every day!

I have been pondering why literacy is so important…or is it?? Why is it more important than say, the times tables?? or the periodic table? I think it is one of those basic, fundamental skills that is required to acquire all other skills. Think about it…if you want your children to make a difference in the world, how do you visualize that? Are there certain careers that you see as making a huge impact on the world (doctor, lawyer, missionary or, dare I say, mom?), think about the unifying factor….being able to learn and communicate via the written word. It is absolutely fundamental.

And, there is a direct correlation between good literacy skills and higher income….and I am not one to say that money is everything, but it DOES make a difference when you share it with others. One thing I did this Christmas was put my money where my mouth was and donated to Compassion Canada through purchasing an Education package. It is a way to help others understand the joy (and importance) of literacy! So thankful for organizations like Compassion Canada that desire to help children learn these important skills, so in turn they can help others in their own country learn as well! As the saying goes….give a man a fish, he eats for a day….teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime! Awesome!

So…how can YOU make the greatest impact on the world??? It is my opinion that it is through making sure our children have these most basic and fundamental skills….reading and comprehending well! I hope you take some time this week to read to your children…after all, this is the first step to changing the world!!

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I am so glad we raised three readers. Most days are Family Literacy Day around here. I homeschooled our three, and as I once read, “Teach your children to read [and comprehend], and they can teach themselves anything else.”
Long after our now grown children were reading on their own, I read to them at night. We worked our way through countless volumes. It was great.
Just a thought, though: Literacy only helps with the money when you don’t spend all that money on more book. ;^)